Dating Games
by fanficfanuk
Summary: Will gets the wrong end of the stick and then finds managing a relationship with Nina harder than he thought. Set when Will has been with Nina for 6 months. AU after Don tells Mac she should date. Silly stuff to get through to season 3. No ownership rights. Two swear words.
1. Chapter 1

Will holds her elbow as Nina shimmies into the restaurant booth and makes herself comfortable. She smiles up at him. "Thank you so much Will" she purrs warmly. He really does have lovely manners.

"You're most welcome Nina, hope this is…..y'know…worth the wait!" Nina had asked to come to Valentino's and he had been putting her off for weeks. "Sorry it has to be a booth but they are private and I am trying to keep a low profile with the tabloids!" he grins

"Trying not to hurt Mac, Will?"

"N…not just her, the whole show suffers when my ratings tank…you know. We have certain standards…..from Charlie." He covers smoothly….he thinks

"The Sea Bass is especially recommended tonight, Mr McAvoy" says their server Dominic as he presents their menus.

"We'll need a minute I think…. start with the wine list and I'll have a Jameson's. Nina?" Will says gruffly.

He recognises Dominic from years ago.

This was Mackenzie's favourite dinner venue when they were together. They'd had some pretty memorable meals here. And of course Mac had been such a hit with the staff. She could get them to make anything…like the time she got one of the Cordon Blue chefs to produce "beans on toast" Wellington . Will's mouth curved upwards at the memory.

"Will?" Nina says and her hand crossing the table to touch his. "Will…penny for your thoughts."

"Sorry Nina…..sorry just thinking about my….uh!.. question to the British ambassador tonight. A bit harsh d'you think?"

"Well now you mention it, Will, I think you could tone down quite a few of your interrogations and ask some questions of a personal nature. I could prep you if you like. I often know a few things about guests on News Night" she says with gathering enthusiasm. "You'd double your audience if you mixed things up a bit"

"I…I don't know Nina, my EP has pretty tight rules for the show you know and….."

Just at that moment, the waiter interrupts them for their order.

And as Will raises his eyes he feels his heart squeeze. Mac is there, now, weaving between the tables in the centre of the restaurant. She is being escorted by a slim, tallish man in a strikingly well-cut suit and she's carrying a miniature bouquet and a small gift box. Her figure-hugging emerald green dress, complimented by matching 4 inch Louboutins makes a striking vision.

From his secluded vantage point, Will can see heads turn appreciatively as Mac crosses the room. Her escort helps with her seat at a table on the far side of the room and leans down to say something into her ear that makes her smile. He squeezes her shoulder in a fond gesture before he moves to his own seat, his back partly towards Will.

"I think the Sea Bass sounds excellent thank you", Nina tells their waiter "and I'd like the duck to start but put the dressing on the side… and I want the duck shredded with no skin at all….is that clear…Will?"

Will gives his order without thinking. He can hardly breathe. He can't take his eyes off Mac and her escort. The guy's hand is covering Mac's as she sits beside him, talking animatedly, leaning in closely towards each other, an easy intimacy between them.

_"__Shit"_

"_Mac's dating_" his inner voice screams at him

_"__she's got the right"_

_"__She's moving on and leaving me behind" _his breath hitches

"Duck's a good choice, Nina ….a speciality here" Will puts his anchor face on and turns back towards Nina to charm his date. "And maybe….we can…. talk about your idea… for improving my ratings….much, much later" He looks deeply into Nina's eyes suggestively.

_He'd show Mac._

_How could she!_

Hours later, Will lies in his bed staring at the darkened ceiling, Nina's head on his chest. He can hear her steady breaths and feel the weight of her head below his jaw. He goes over their talk about increasing his popularity in the cab on the way to his place. He considers Nina's suggestions.

Restless, Will edges out from under her and creeps away to his balcony and softly plays his guitar. Mac's favourites are strung out for a sad goodbye. His jaw is clamped rigidly as he considers the loss of Mackenzie's devotion. He hadn't realised the idea of it would feel so painful. He is determined to be prepared for tomorrow, when he will have to work with her over the minutiae of their show while thoughts of someone else fill her head.

_"__SHIT"_

"Will?" he hears Nina calling

He pauses for a second; he can't drag Nina into this. She's been a good girlfriend, loyal and loving, kind and supportive. He is somehow able to forget that she continues to write her take down pieces_-'a girl's gotta live'_- and Gary has mentioned that there is still an active branch of the 'fill Nina Howard's coffers society' with stories submerged when enough money changes hands. Will had been scandalised when he'd been reminded about that last week. He'd been prepared to call Nina on it…..but not now….the time is not right, now.

Now, he needs to defend his heart against another Mackenzie onslaught. And Will has learned to attack when he is hurt or threatened so, at 5.00am he picks up the phone and dials The Morning Show producer and offers a chatty interview to start off his new policy—which is essentially to do the opposite of whatever Mackenzie wants him to do. Not that he'd call it that - more being the managing editor and making his own decisions.

He goes on air at 7.20 am

It doesn't end well!


	2. Chapter 2

Will's embarrassment on the Morning Show hits him hard. He had not been prepared to be made to look so foolish. But it did not change his resolve. It had hurt his show a little but mainly it was a strike against Mac's control.

That morning, in the green room where she was waiting for him with supportive sympathy, on an impulse Will asks Nina to move in with him officially. Another strike against his EP. After all, though he doesn't love Nina, she keeps him from feeling lonely much of the time. And she doesn't demand more than he can give. Maybe he can settle for that and love will grow later.

Nina seems to sense his turmoil and does not mention that he never says he loves her or that this is unexpected; she readily agrees to move in.

At 10.20am Will slinks into the first pitch meeting and takes his usual seat at the end of the table. Mac is on her feet in front of the white board drawing lines through the list of options that have been generated and labelling others with letters A-E.

"Jim, please take the governor's bill and speech for the A Block; Maggie can you follow up the story on drug smuggling in the Florida Keys?" Mac asks

"Neal, you asked to pitch?" she continues turning towards the News Night blogger

"Yeah, Mac. Great, well, there's a new game that is being offered for free on the web and it seems to have addictive properties. Thousands of school students are missing class and significant amounts of money are changing hands. Its…it's like heroine without the needle and you're going to want to get it out to parents that they should stop their children playing it." Neal rushes through his presentation

"Where did you get your information Neal? And is there an official source, a government agency or a medical association who backs your claim?"

"Well, so far I seem to be among the first to have noticed the impact by looking across the country and putting many tweets and posts together and accumulating them"

"That's a 'no' then" Mac summarises

"Well, ummm sort of but-"

"It's a no until you have more to-" she starts but is cut off by Will

"I think we should run with it …..in the C block. Good human interest story. We base it on all the small pieces of information that are available. Good work Neal" Will says

Mac's head shoots up and she looks in silence at Will. "No Neal, please continue work on the Mayoral elections we discussed earlier" she says firmly

"I think Neal's story has potential. I am the managing editor so I decide what goes on air" Will states calmly and firmly. "Neal, please do as I say"

"Hey you guys" Neal looks from Will to Mac and back uncomfortably. "When Will joined this meeting I was concerned that I might become involved in a personal power struggle between you two, but I can see now that my fears were groundless." He looks helplessly at each of them in turn and holds his hands palm upwards as he shrugs. "Just let me know please" he says "E-mail maybe?"

"Will, may I have a word in my office please" Mac says with all the dignity she can muster "Now?"

"Not finished with this meeting yet Mac, let's do this later. Please go on"

Mac takes a deep breath and considers continuing but decides against it. With Will in this mood who knows what he will challenge.

"Meetings over, see you at 12.00" Mac instructs and the staff leave. Mac turns on her heel and makes for her office. She's shaking. She can tell something significant has happened between her and Will's fragile working friendship but has no clue as to what she's done now.

Charlie had phoned her that morning and told her about Will having asked Nina to move in. How in Hell he knows these things is a mystery! A wave of misery engulfs her. .Don had been right then when he'd suggested she started dating; time for her to move on too, professionally as well.

Later that morning, Don sidled in to see her and gave her a more colourful description of that morning's TV events. All the staff know by now that their anchor had been shown up on Morning TV. Was this the reason he was being so unreasonable? Was it somehow to do with him moving closer to Nina?

Mac didn't know any more…..she didn't know Will anymore might be a more accurate description of her predicament. And it struck her that Will was trying to push her away so that he and Nina could get closer still- marry even.

This was it then, the end of any chance of _them_. Will had stopped their night phone calls months ago and she missed them so much she ached sometimes. Now he was taking the next step with Nina and he was cutting her out of his life even more….maybe Nina had told him to….

When Will hadn't come to see her in the ten minutes following the rundown meeting Mac decides to just let it go and get on with her work. The show won't produce itself. And she has to be ahead of herself today because she has an appointment at 4.30 that will use up at least 60minutes of her precious time as the show takes shape. She will call in to her agent on the way so that he can start putting out feelers for her.

Will sits in his room and wonders how to take back more control from Mac; it's the only way he can think of to protect himself from his emotional reaction to the knowledge that she's dating. He can't think straight at all, oscillating between panicky shallow breathing and a fearful twisting pain in his guts. He throws back 2 double scotches in quick succession. He can't stop thinking about her being on the dating circuit; she'll be snapped up instantly, perhaps she has been already...Hell! Any man would chase her, and if she's free there'll be a line out the door…the image that conjures reminds him of the Rudy stunt Mac pulled for him and immediately he remembers the feel of her within his arms as he hugged her close; her warm breath on his neck.

_Damn! He should have said something then, right then_.

His thoughts go back to May 1st when he had finally revealed his feelings to Mac in a voicemail. She'd made no response so he'd eventually resolved to live,(or die), without her. He had been so angry that he had brought in Brian and so depressed he'd allowed the article into publication even though he could have vetoed its contents. Still it had hurt Mac, everything that hurt him, had hurt Mac. He felt sick and sad and angry at himself. But being full of self pity he was angry at Mac too.

Serve her right for cheating on him, all this is her fault because they would have been married with kids now if it hadn't been for her.

Now he has Nina for company and that's down to Mac too Will thinks in his untethered thought process.

Will is called to Charlie's office just before noon.

"Will," Charlie greets "Join me?" he holds up a tumbler with three fingers of Jameson's

"Not sure I should Charlie, already made a start downstairs"

"Don't be a pussy, this is good stuff and I hear you made a change to your living arrangements this morning, Congratulations"

"Ahh! Yes that is so and thank you" Will replies with a slight smile of acknowledgement.

"Good that you are settling down at last, a man should not be alone"

"Yeah! Well, it's only living together Charlie, we're not getting hitched-"

"Time for that down that line; though I never realised you'd lost interest in Mac." Charlie goes on. "Sorry to say I'd put Nina down as a phase" he pauses "Will she be putting her place on the market? I expect she'll want to redecorate your apartment or maybe want you to move."

Will is uncomfortable with this line of questioning- he hasn't given any of these questions a thought never mind discussed them with Nina.

"Too soon to say about this practical stuff Charlie, we're going to play it by ear" Will tells his boss. But he knows it sounds lame and un-thought through…. which is probably because it hasn't been...well...you know... thought through.

Will's chat with Charlie has at least given Mac a chance to get through her staff meeting unhampered by a managing editor who is trying to disrupt her authority as much as possible. He arrives back just as everyone is dispersing. Mac heaves a sigh of relief. She needed to get things in order so that her absence at the 4.00 pm meeting will not be catastrophic. Jim can handle it.

Will makes for his office and closes the door. He goes over the questions Charlie asked. Suddenly his living with Nina is becoming real. He has to include her and tell her his whereabouts. He has to ask her opinion on his clothes and his life and she'll want to meet his family and …and…always be there. And she'll want to take him to meet her family and at some point she might want a ring. Will gets a strong visceral reaction to that thought. Thoughts of rings bring visions of Mac staring at the Tiffany jewel with a defeated look on her face. Will can't shake them off. The ring in his office drawer belongs to a person who has been front and centre for almost a decade. He finds he doesn't want it any other way.

Mac disappears in the late afternoon. Will and she have not spoken about the events in the 10.00 meeting. Indeed, they have not spoken at all and now Will is getting jumpy. She should come and see him so that he can tell her about Nina and see her reaction.

_But, will she mind what he does if she's moved on? __Maybe my being with Nina will make Mac feel better about seeing someone else. It might make her more comfortable that I will be happy without her. Would she be more or less concerned about me if I was alone? __Fuck, moving Nina in might actually encourage Mac to find new partners. He can't bear to think she might come to give her love and care to someone else. He can't begin to go there. He wont._

Confused as to how best to get the reaction he wants from Mac, Will finally admits to himself that living with Nina is a terrifying proposition and definitely is not what he wants at all. Asking Nina to move in had been a kneejerk reaction. He actually would like less not more time with the gossip columnist; having now given it some real consideration: of that he is completely certain. But for the moment he will have to go ahead with his choice. He can't dump Nina out of the blue. He has manners and she has done nothing to deserve it.

_Shit_

Mac stumbles into the newsroom, literally, at 5.30pm, tripping over the pile of shopping bags deposited inside the bullpen doors. Nina has been elated all day and decided to celebrate by going on a spending spree including buying Will a cashmere sweater. She has called in to give it to him and to ensure that all the important people (Mac) were aware of their change of relationship status. Nina did not intend to gloat- but she knew Will might not tell Mac and clarity could save a lot of embarrassing misunderstandings for everyone.

Dusting herself off, Mac makes her way to the studio to check on the technical issues that can arise when doing live broadcasts. Jim is already there and appraises Mac about Nina's visit.

"How'd it go at Reynard's" he asks

"Harrowing" she says quietly "there are no heirs so the property will go to the crown"

"They can do that?" he asks surprised

"They can and they do. Taxes must be paid"

"Never had that problem Mac, don't earn enough to owe much"

"Nina still here?" she continues

"I've not seen her leave"

"Must be waiting to see me then to make sure she has staked her claim" Mac says with a wry smile "Best get it over with, I've no time to lose today"

Mac makes her way to Will's office knowing pretty much what to expect. She's not disappointed

Will is seated on his sofa and Nina has positioned herself on his knee. That he does not look completely ecstatic is not lost on Nina. But she knows this first time of seeing Mac will be the hardest and takes pity on Will. After all she has the prize so she can be magnanimous in victory.

Mac is ready. She has pasted her false smile, the one she uses to hide her hurt, across her face and can look at them together without flinching….at least outwardly.

Will is ready with his anchor façade and can look at Mac knowing she is now seeing other men and maybe has a boyfriend. After all he has had a girlfriend for 6 months. He should be ok that she has someone too he keeps telling himself (but somehow forgetting seconds later).

Fine.

Neither can actually talk though, so Nina has free range

"Mac, Hi there, wondered where you'd gone. Didn't know you could take time off just before a broadcast. Do you like Will's new sweater? I think it's his colour, don't you?" she takes a breath and then goes on when no one cuts in. "We are going to get some decorating done in that man cave he calls home now that we are sharing it….such a chore to have the decorators in don't you find?"

Will watches Mac closely through Nina's display of ownership. His stomach clenches at Mac's expression. He knows that she is covering her hurt. He knows how she looks when he has hit out verbally at her and she is absorbing the pain. In that instant he wants to silence Nina and protect Mac from any more humiliation at her hands. But he can't. He has given Nina the right to claim him and that allows her to lord it over Mac.

_Shit, he feels bad!_

Mac nods and finally manages to say something, "Sorry Nina but I am so rushed. You're right about not leaving before air. Will should fire me….he can you know….at the end of every week"

_Maybe he will now he's with Nina_

_"_Good to catch up" Mac adds and then she's gone

_Shit again, why had she told Nina about the contract, Will thinks, Nina might pressure me to do it and I never ever will._

Nina left soon after so that the show could proceed without interruption. The staff breathed a sigh of relief. They could only imagine how volatile the newsroom could become if Nina, Mac and Will decided to have a' frank discussion'.

But actually they saw no fireworks that night.

Mac spoke calmly into Will's ear and he did almost everything she asked. The only instruction he didn't comply with came at the end of the broadcast when he signed off and Mac said quietly "Have a good night, Will" before she hurriedly left the studio.


	3. Chapter 3

Will endured Nina's excited prattle about her decorative schemes with good humour that night. He had put them into this situation and she did not deserve to be punished. When he wasn't with Mac he didn't really mind what Nina did. He knew they wouldn't last. Let her have her fun.

The next day Mac is in her office earlier than usual, trying to get ahead of the day before the Major comes with Cynthia. Jim is also in early preparing his segments and checking the wires for items for the pitch meeting.

Will is late but then… he has Nina.

"Are you sure they'll be here all afternoon?" Jim asks

"Totally promised Jimmy boy, and Major Max never lets people down." Mac replies with a grin. Max's visit is a real treat. Her spirits lightened when she heard he was back in the US and actually going to visit the Big Apple after DC.

"But I bet him I'd go to work for a week with a beard" Jim whined

"Did you now?" Mac teases "And have you got pictures to prove it or will you have to start growing one now?...or maybe you could make a trade off with an eyebrow shave?"

Neal ambles in and catches the end of the conversation

"You going to shave your eyebrows man? I'll help with that" he offers

"Keep away from my facial hair, no one is shaving my anything" Jim says in panic

Mac and Neal share a smile as Mac puts her hand on Jim's arm and says "Calm down Jim, they have to get through me to get to you and I'm fearless….. and crafty. You are totally safe".

"What's the excitement anyway," Neal asks,"You're both in super early".

"Visitors due this afternoon Neal, from the military" Mac informs him "A major who we shared a few months of our time with and there will be stories to tell, wagers to pay and catching up to do"

"He was so sweet on you Mac" Jim says just as Will enters the newsroom

"Morning" Will mutters, making for his office

After the noon meeting Mac leaves with Jim to meet her guests in the dining room and later brings them down to watch a TV news show being made.

She enters the bullpen leading a petit blonde 30 something woman and the tall handsome man from Valentino's of two nights earlier. Jim trails behind.

Mac introduces Major Max and his wife Cynthia to some of the staff as Will walks out of his office to see what the commotion is all about. "Mac, I need to show you this draft" he says to cover his curiosity.

Cynthia's face breaks into a huge smile as she starts to walk towards Will.

"Hey remember me Mr McAvoy…. Will?" She says still smiling broadly.

Will looks at her and has a very vague notion that he might have met her at some time.

"Errr. Um maybe" he starts tentatively "Can you jog my memory,Miss…"

"It's Mrs now, Mrs Cynthia Brandon, I married Max there." She says easily. "I guess you meet lots of people every day and we did only go on one little date" she pauses "and it was a long time ago"

"We did? Oh, Oh yes well I'm really sorry that I forgot the details" Will continues getting more flustered and uncomfortable.

Mac and Max exchange covert looks and soon are shaking silently. The giggle escapes Mac first followed by solid laughter from Max and Jim.

"What's going on?" Will asks confused

Mac can't talk for laughter and Jim steps up to explain that Max is the Army's no 1 practical joker and that Cynthia was paying on a bet she'd lost…..she had never actually met Will before.

Will then was formally introduced to Max and his wife and Mac explained how they had faced a few things together while they'd been embedded. They'd stayed in touch and she had invited them to see the show being made whilst they were in New York.

Will actually liked Max instantly but wondered if his wife knew he's been wining and dining Mac two nights ago.

"So what brings you here, right now?" Will asks Max when he shows him his office?

"Oh! You know the Pentagon likes to boss us all around. And they think I might be heading towards a staff post in the White House soon. Oh yeah! And there are debts to collect on" he says with a sly smile

"Really…" Will comments "Like..?"

"Like the bet I won with Mac. She promised to take me to dine at her favourite restaurant in this city if I got through the mission. So of course she would never forget to pay and she has- in full"

"Oh! Right!" Will repeats "What was the mission"

"You know the time when we were trapped in a village when Mac offered in URDU, would you believe she can get by in that, to go with the bandits if they would let the rest of us go. She insisted that she was valuable as a hostage because of her father. She argued so passionately and so loudly, determined to save us, that the troops sent to back us up located us and voilà we were released. But we nearly lost Mac on that one and she would have been beheaded after she was no more use if you know what I mean" he says cheerfully.

Will's stomach churns. He knows almost nothing about her twenty-six months embedded. He knows nothing about the dangers she faced and the deaths she saw. What he can see is a man who faced these with her and the bond they made. And Jim is part of this too…Will feels a tug of jealousy... though he knows how stupid he's being.

"So, did you lose any bets with Mac?" he asks quietly, remembering the blue Tiffany box and the flowers Mac had clutched at dinner.

A warm look came over Max's face as he remembered some event or other that involved Mac. He shook his head. "There was something I was always wanting from her but she never was able to …well it's between me and Mac but…I did promise her a gift from the most expensive jewellery shop I could find…I have made good on that…for saving my life she has one gold earing keeper, you know the things that are used to hold earrings on at the back. 100$ for one earing keeper… I think the box was really most of the cost…" he trailed off.

Will had his answer.

Mac had been being…..well... Mac... and he had been plain stupid…again… and now he is living with Nina. And Mac will think he is pushing her further away because he's moved on and this is all a bigger mess than ever.

And Mac has nearly died twice at least a small voice in his head keeps chanting. His gut tenses and his head starts to ache at the thought. He doesn't know what happened to her for 3 whole years. He used not to want to know, but now he truly needs to get to know those years. He desperately wishes to know everything about the extraordinary woman he is completely besotted by.

The only thing he does know, is completely certain about, right now, is that he really, really doesn't want to be living with Nina Howard

_SHIT!_


	4. Chapter 4

Mac is not around after the show the next night. Jim takes the final segment after Mac informs Will through his ear piece, during the break, that she is leaving early and will not be in till Friday.

Will's a bit thrown because he had intended to offer to take her for a drink after the show. Nina has a standing date with her female friends on Wednesday nights anyway so he has no excuses to make. The whole misunderstanding over Major Max has forced Will to acknowledge how much he wants Mackenzie by his side and he is intent on repairing fences with Mac as fast as possible.

Friday morning sees Mac back in the newsroom immersed in work. She looks tired and serious. Charlie calls by her office and speaks with her for 20 minutes before visiting Will who is actually trying to write his script ahead of time to please Mac for once. He has behaved himself in the pitch meeting too with no more scenes like the one over Neal's suggestion….which has come to nothing anyway.

"What you writing about today Will?" Charlie demands "Got a scoop from some of the low-life information Nina can extract from sources?"

"Doin' fine thank you Charlie…to what do I owe this visit so early in the day?" Will replies, wondering why Charlie is so untypically derogatory about Nina's line of work. Not that any of them approve of it, but Charlie is far too much of a gentleman to be overtly rude about anyone without good cause; it's not his style.

"You're an idiot Will. Do you know that?" the older man says cheerfully "I hope you and Nina have some really strong emotional bonds built up. When Mac leaves, Nina is going to have to see you through a string on new EP's and a new Chief of News Division."

"What are you talking about Charlie?" Will replies trying to keep the rising panic out of his voice "Mac won't leave, I'm about to start a charm offensive. I'd planned to begin my campaign on Wednesday night but she was off …probably saying her goodbyes to Major Max and his wife. They have a baby daughter too I think." Will paused " Wait! You're leaving Charlie? is that what you're saying?"

"What I'm saying is that you two will be the death of me" Charlie whispers wearily as he lowers his head sadly while shaking it to and fro and rising to leave.

Truth is, Will has been thinking more rationally about Mac since he'd met Max and learned their story. It seems she'd not moved on…not left him behind and certainly not tried to hurt him. As his panic has subsided, he's been left with a simple clarity….he should be with Mac...he should always be with Mac..forever. He feels at peace at last with this decision made. The contrast with the many other choices, terrible, hurtful choices, he's made regarding Mac since her return makes him blanch. This, this contented calm he feels, must be forgiveness. He's impatient to see her and begin the rest of his life...

Friday lunchtime and Mac re-enters her office to find a bunch of flowers sitting in the middle of her disorganised desk. She smiles thinking of Max and his wife and the fun the last few days had brought her, sorry to see them go.

The 2.00 pm pitch meeting goes as well as it can, except Will seems to be staring at her, waiting to catch her eye. He follows her to her office when it's over.

"Can I do something for you Will?" she says wearily "I have a stack of_"

"Did you like the flowers?" He says quickly "Are they ok?"

She's puzzled "Are they from you, Will? I just assumed they were from Max and Cynthia as they leave today from JFK" and she leans over and takes the card out of its forked holder.

Reading it she looks up sharply at Will and snaps, "Not appropriate at all Will. What are you thinking? "

"But Mac-"

"No 'but Mac' anything, Will. You have a girlfriend. You have a commitment. And asking another woman out when you are already a couple is cheating Will. I am not going down that street. I know you feel that I am 'that sort of person' but if there is one thing I learned from our relationship it is never to two time anyone. I won't do it and I won't let you do it either, at least not with me" Mac almost shouts at him

"But-"

"No buts Will….I've learned the lesson the hardest way I could. I've ruined my life by seeing an old flame when I wasn't sure of the status of our relationship….I won't let you do it… Nina might leave you….and I can't face another article about me or you cheating in the press, I just can't,…..please go" Mac's almost in tears by this point

For several seconds Will is transfixed; Hoist by his own petard. He has no answer to this. She's right. He can hardly say he wants Nina to split with him, she has barely moved in yet. And if he explains the truth Mac would want answers about why he has led Nina on and how he could hurt Nina like that. He'd be a lesser man. And then there's the tabloids. He can't run the risk of either of them being in the papers because Mac will be hurt whatever happens.

He has to slow down, back off and speak with Nina, explain this is a mistake, he realises. "Sorry, sorry, Damn it Mac" he mutters as he storms out of her office

When he's gone, Mac looks again at the card in her hand "Come to Valentino's tonight. I never stopped you know… W x"

She crumples it, hurls it at the waste bin and retires to her bathroom to sob in peace, devastated that Will believes she would happily help him two-time the person he has so recently committed to; angry at herself for wishing she could allow herself to do so. Damn Will.

.

Mac's agent calls her just before 5.00 pm with an offer to go to Fox. They are overjoyed she's available. She can double what she's getting currently and have a corner office. Her run-in with Will over the dinner invitation has made her even surer she needs a fresh start, so she sets a meeting for Saturday. Relief washes through her. Max's visit has reminded her that she can have other lives away from Will. He has Nina now, there's nothing to stay for.

Will arrives at his apartment that night and is greeted by dance music blaring from the speakers in his home office. Nina has asked her girl-gang over to see her new home and meet Will when he returns from work. He is not pleased to find himself the focus of questions about his relationship with Nina…..What had made him actually invite her to join him? he was asked by one very forward and very tipsy woman. How long had they felt so strongly for each other inquired another. Did he believe in marriage was a third impudent question! Arrrrh!

Will ran for the bedroom saying he had calls to make before he went to bed. He hid for an hour, starving, but too afraid to leave the sanctuary of his room for the kitchen 50 feet away. Nina didn't check on him (like Mac would have he thought). He phoned Mac twice but she didn't pick up. What had he expected? He had messed with Nina and he could see he would be no match for her. He had known about her love of money. He would have to pay millions to get rid of her. He considered marrying her as a cheaper option, but he felt sick at the thought.

For thinking about marriage brought thoughts of Mackenzie.

She would never screw him for his money or encourage him to do things that made him a lesser man. She wouldn't even date a man she thought was in love with someone else.

And Mac now believes he loves Nina because she always assumes the best of him…but…his thoughts run to the gossip columnist who had hacked Mac's phone and who had known he loved Mac before she'd dated him. Nina did not have such qualms. She could go with the flow; see where it leads.

The contrast between the two women is stark.

Will sits on his bed and thought carefully for several minutes.

Picking up his phone he dials Sloan Sabbath…..


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey there bro, what do you want? I'm on a date" Sloan whispers into her phone.

"Sis, I need help here and a plan to get out of a mess I'm in…..of my own making,... but still…" Will whispers back.

"Hard to dump Nina eh!" she giggles with unusual insight "have you met your match?"

"Listen little sis, I'm in a jam and I need your help. You're family for this and I need you to take a fall like you did once for Neal"

"Hey, no, Will it's not a good thing that you ask. Get one of your other hangers on to help. Mac will do anything for you…or Nina…or that woman who threw the wine, or the cheerleader or the brain surgeon or that one with the gun. You have multiple possibilities"

"But sadly, it must be you Sloan. No one but you can be a believable alternative to Nina."

With no more details forthcoming, Sloan eventually promises to meet up with him on Saturday morning around noon.

Before she takes the phone from her ear she turns off the speaker and smiles at Mac.

"Will seems to need another girlfriend to annoy Nina" she says grinning "Told you he was being stupid last week when he asked her to move in. And wasn't it the same day that he threw the football and broke the light stands on the Morning Show. Remember?"

Mac nods as she recalls Will's temper in the pitch meeting. He'd had some issues that day. Such a shame, because she'd had a really lovely dinner at Valentino's just the night before, with Max. It had been a long time since she'd been there- the last time was with Will of course.

And Will had asked her there tonight too. Her favourite place, but still a bit of a coincidence for it to come up twice in one week after a five year gap.

Mac puts it together fast.

Will must have seen her at Valentino's with Max, and hit back at her with the Morning Show and arguing at the rundown. Possibly even moving forward more quickly than he'd planned with Nina (though he must care for Nina deeply to be with her so long, and want her to live with him she admits to herself.)

When Will had met Max he'd have known he'd messed up royally.

She's sure she understands his dinner invitation now. Will must have learned about FOX's interest; he has contacts everywhere. He wants to repair their working relationship to avoid the show losing her.

Strangely there's relief at knowing that Will was not being disloyal to Nina when asking her out, just stupidly misguided in how he was going about things...as usual. But whatever his motives, he is now asking her best female friend for help-(_but not her, and that hurts too. He's moving away and it's just going to get harder_).

Mac suddenly feels tired of it all; the slights, the unpredictable emotional rollercoaster at work, the knowledge that Will loves someone again but it isn't her. It's embarrassing and exhausting.

Fox is looking better and better.

Saturday sees Mac with the head of Fox news in their building not far from the ACN tower. He grills her about her values and skills for all of 2 minutes and then proceeds to beg her to join them and raise the standard of their news broadcasts. She can bring with her whoever she likes. Transferring staff will be offered 25% increased pay and a review after 6 months if they are working out. Her package is double her current, with several other perks. These people have serious money to spend on news.

"What anchor are you wanting me to produce?" she asks

"Well actually we are running Paul down to retirement over the next few months so are on the lookout for someone else" Steve says, watching her carefully. He knew this question would come up. "We could approach McAvoy if you want"

_Ahh! That was their plan. Poach Charlie's best presenter._

"I think I'd like to grow new talent" she answers keeping her voice calm.

"Have you considered yourself?" Steve grins hopefully

"Not interested thanks, I'd never find a good enough EP" Mac returns steadily. Steve's not the first person to suggest she follows Diane Sawyer.

"Well, just a thought, you'd look great on camera and you know everything there is to know". he says, seed planted.

"Still" she shrugs

"We'll see you here in a week if possible then, OK?"

They shake and nod and Mac goes away with a lot to think about.

Not least is her need to get clear of Will.

Knowing the relationship between Nina and Will has progressed, watching him rush home to Nina is now even more excruciatingly painful than it has been for the passed few months. Mac knows her continued presence might make Nina feel so threatened (without foundation in Mac's opinion) that she could break things off, devastating Will and replicating his father's rejection.

At work it's becoming harder to speak calmly to Will when she wants to kiss him and scream at him by turns. But she loves without limit, so she also feels pleased for him. He should not be lonely or uncared for. If Nina is the one he loves, who can look after him and support him, then so be it. But she isn't strong enough to look on for much longer without crumbling herself.

Thank God for FOX.

The following week she visits personnel and Charlie several times before fearlessly sitting down with Will in his office and telling him with an unsteady voice, that she has accepted a position as an EP at Fox. Will starts by shouting at her and pacing the room

"Why didn't you tell me what you were thinking Mac?"

"You cannot leave! FOX is never going to do what we...what you want to do, the way it should be done." his voice rising in force "You will be made to chase ratings and work with mean-spirited, talentless, self-serving critics with no objectivity, Mac, NO objectivity!...and what about Maggie and Jim and Sloan and Charlie and Neal and Don and Elliot and Charlie and...did I already say Charlie?" Mac nods silently almost crying "And Gary and Kendra and Joey and Herb and..." he runs out of names and pauses

"And you..." Mac says so softly he barely hears the words. "You're telling me you're going to miss me and, truth time Will, I'm going to miss you too, like hell. But I can't do this any longer and if I stay it won't be long before Nina will start pressuring you to move me along. We have too much history Will. You two need space to become more to one another. I can't watch, let me go quietly Will, don't let's row about this, please." she begs

Mac looks at him with her furrowed brow, liquid brown eyes brimming with unshed tears, her lower lip gripped tightly in her teeth and her arms tightly wrapped around her waist. She looks pale and anxious but very, very beautiful and he melts as always. He's caused this... just Shit!

"Ok. ok Mac!. It's just a shock to me, that's all. We can discuss this after the show" he says trying to calm himself

Will steps forward, taking her hands and pulling her out of her chair, attempting to take her in his arms for a hug. But Mac pulls back and puts her hands on his chest. "Please Will, don't make this any more difficult. You have Nina and I have to ...just..." she doesn't finish the sentence but shrugs and walks to the door. Turning and looking at him as though it has to last her forever, she says "Friday's my last show" and she turns on her heel and leaves.

Will is reeling. He's angry, sad, desperate and more...oh Fuck. He needs her to wait a couple more weeks, he needs her to be in his ear, he simply needs her and can't tell her and his breathing is coming in shallow pants and he recognises the anxiety building in his gut and his chest. He needs his Xanax and he needs to get a grip or he'll be back in the hospital with a heart attack or ...

He remembers the hospital. How Mac found him bleeding in his apartment and saved his life- which he doesn't think he ever thanked her for. How she was there for him with her yelling and pyjamas and ...love. And how he kept sending her away and she kept on showing up and sitting with him.

He thinks back to her silence following the voicemail he had been so sure would be well received. His misery and then anger about Mac no longer loving him, rejecting him. That was the reason he had pushed her away in the hospital. He had learned to live without her.. rejecting her in retaliation.

When he'd learned the truth he should have told her how he'd blamed her for not replying to a message she never received. She would have been angry with him perhaps for a little while but would have understood his mistake and forgiven him...she would, she's Mac. But she'd have been furious with Reece and Nina.

Nina had been the one who stopped them being together and happy and... what the fuck. Finally the tears squeeze out from under his closed lids and run down his cheeks.

How had he ever hooked up with Nina of all people?

He has repeatedly told himself that Nina is not a means of hurting Mac but of moving on from her; of trying a relationship with a smart beautiful woman who is also a journalist... of sorts. All through his months with Nina he has applauded himself that he had stopped aiming unkind verbal barbs towards Mac. He'd felt proud of his restraint.

But being truthful with himself, Will now sees that he'd chosen to date Nina in order to punish Mac in the most painful manner possible. He is truly a bastard and the sadder thing is that Mac would never allow him to think so badly of himself.

Mac is leaving his newsroom

She's hurting believing him to have moved on

He can't stop either of these things right now and he may never be able to put this right, may never have her in his ear again and ...he can't bare to think of losing her forever but..

"Oh! how are the mighty fallen!" he mumbles, "Charlie was right I am a fucking idiot!"


	6. Chapter 6

Just over a week later Will is on the 44th floor with Charlie, Leona and Reece looking through the counter packages being offered to staff to retain them from Fox. They know Mac can take anyone she wants just by asking as they will follow her anywhere. But she is not dismantling the team, merely making sure that the offers of pay increases are passed on in the hope that the team gets a pay rise from ACN to stay with Will. She would never keep people back. She's Mac.

The executive team are subdued because Mac has gone to FOX already and Jim is filling-in but looks like he might follow her. They know what they've lost. Will knows it's his fault…well they all do but they are not saying it to him.

_Bloody Nina_

"How's Jim working out?" Leona probes

"Fine" Will says lethargically "just Fine"

"What say I ask her out for dinner? Where does she prefer Will? I could try to get her to return" Reece offers

"Cut it out, Reece" Will says tersely "just cause the numbers are dropping you can't-" Will starts

"I can do what I like and I miss Mac too and so does the company" Reese blurts out angrily, another person finally fallen under Mac's spell.

"She'll come back if you fire me-or if I retire" Will suggests. Reece's eyes light up and he's about to offer Will the option when...

"No way would Mcmac ever step inside AWM again if anyone did anything to you" Leona scolds, giving Reece a silencing stare "She probably left because she thought she was saving you from something."

"I want her back too" Will continues thoughtfully "and actually... I do need your help to do it, Reece." Will continues, "Tell me all about the phone hacking stuff. How is it done? Who actually does it? Did Nina use some equipment or is there an app? Did she hire someone to do it for her?"

And he does. Reece doesn't know much because he just provides the budget. But he does know the staff don't do it themselves and there are techs who get commissioned. Will is given the name of a staff member who has used the service and can give him a name.

The next day Will approaches Neal and Jim to discuss an exposé he is planning on phone hacking.

The plan is to request a phone to be hacked and then expose the hacker.

"Sounds like entrapment Will" Jim challenges

"Technically yes but it is also important to reveal how easy this is and how cheap and so on. So I plan to OK this with a law enforcement agency and we will set up to hack the phone of someone who is semi-famous but has agreed to the intrusion."

"Seems a bit….you know… shady, but I get it" Jim says

"Neal we want you to link with the hacker as you can explain you want to know about a contract the person is about to sign. You will do the commissioning and get given the hacking results. Your first real exposé." Says Will

"Won't let you down Will" replies Neal enthusiastically

"Just let's keep it between us though for the moment," Will requests

It takes a week to set up his sting and to have a phone hacked and the conversations reported to Neal. The transcript of just one of the conversations is also reported to Nina as Will predicted it would be, given her wide web of contacts all looking out for juicy information to supply her with- for a price. Nina gets the call when Will is out at work.

The conversation that has been passed to Nina includes uncomplimentary references to her, though her name is never actually mentioned. The hacker is oblivious about giving Nina information that affects her personally. The man is happy with his 50 bucks on top of his hacking fee from Neal.

Nina is livid, incandescent about the information she's been given and she starts to write her most vitriolic piece to date. Will McAvoy's affair with Sloane Sabbath….. very bad on so many levels

Will steps into the apartment at 9.30 pm that evening with Neal for company. "Hi Nina" he calls out good naturedly "Home"

Nina is not there. She has returned to her place to write her article and berate Will McAvoy. He won't insult her so easily.

Neal and Will review their evidence and write the copy ready to present the piece. They develop various graphics options, acknowledging that Mac would do these better. Will is very clear he wants this story completely ready to present from the next night though he will decide when to air it. Law enforcement will be alerted just before it is screened. Neal agrees to prioritise it and be ready to air by 4.00 the next day so that they can include it tomorrow if Will gives the go-ahead.

After Neal leaves, Will phones Nina leaving a voicemail when she doesn't pick up. Nina doesn't join him at his apartment the next day either.

Nina's wrath at Will for his apparent liaison with Sloan, has made her so angry that, 3 days later, a variety of articles describing the McAvoy affair with Sloan are on every news stand. The story makes the Morning Show too; Will smiles.

And best of all, Mac calls him to see how he is…full of concern and disbelief and support saying that he and Sloan have been somehow set up. _She still cares about him a bit at least_. _And she doesn't believe that he is a person who cheats on his girlfriend either. Better and better_.

"I'd like to let you know what has been going on Mac- with Sloan if possible….but with all the phone hacking going about, I think we should meet face to face. You free after the show tonight? Can you come to ACN?"

"What about Nina, Will, she must be devastated, though I guess she realises you would never have done what the tabloids are saying" Mac says concerned for him as always

"Not with Nina any more Mac, come and we can talk" his smile almost splits his face.

"Neal we're going with the C block tonight" Will grins as he enters the bullpen "Be ready"

That night Neal is in the studio and in Will's ear for the phone hacking segment.

His graphics are quite good and Will's explanation of how Sloan's phone was targeted, with Law enforcement's and the owner's permission, was presented together with the ease and the costs and the potential damage to companies and individuals. The News of the World scandal and the Hugh Grant debacle are covered.

Will describes how Sloan Sabbath had been selected as a believable target and conversations between her and him had been scripted so that the sting would appear authentic. Sloan is interviewed to agree her part in the plot and to laugh at the fake romance she and Will had affected within one call to add realism. She alluded to the stories in the tabloids which had appeared that day to show the extent of damage that can result from a single hacked call.

Will ends the show and sits at his desk. His phone glows and vibrates…Nina. "Hi" he says, picking up instantly. He listens and then speaks

"I got the impression you had moved out since you wrote most of the stories in the tabloids about me this week" Will begins

"I have no idea how you got wind of Neal's first investigative journalism story but why on earth didn't you just ask me about it, when you turned it up? We clearly are not as close as we should be Nina and I am ending this right now. I need to be able to trust the person I share my life with. I'll box up your stuff"

And Will smiles as he hangs up the phone. He lifts his eyes to see Mac in the doorway of the News Night studio, a concerned look on her face.

"I do not have a girlfriend anymore Mac" he says quietly but his eyes twinkle. His expression softens as he sees her hesitate, her feelings in turmoil. Sadness for Will and his presumed pain at the loss of his girlfriend takes precedence over her feelings of hope that he is free once again

"Valentino's ?" Will asks gently, getting up and crossing to meet her

"Valentino's it is" she agrees with a sigh and leans in as he wraps his arms round her just as he had done one Valentine's Day recently.

They stand for several minutes, wrapped in each other and their separate thoughts.

"Will?" Mac eventually says as she realises how long they have stood.

"Ummm... Yeah! We need to eat, I know…" Will says, reluctant at having to release her anytime soon

"I just need to get something from my office drawer and we can get going" he murmurs softly into her ear.


	7. Chapter 7

Valentino's maître d' seats them in a booth immediately they arrive. He gives Mac a huge smile as he greets them effusively. "Will, Mac how lovely to see you. (the **together** was left unsaid but is plainly in his thoughts )

"Oliver, so good of you to squeeze us in at short notice" Will says warmly

"For you …..always! " Oliver's replies

"How're things with the family Olly?" Mac chimes in with a soft smile

"Aah! Mackenzie, my family is so grown up. My youngest boy is in college. But we still talk about the time he was hiding here in the kitchens and would only come out from beneath the sink for the pretty lady in the magic shoes." He reminisces.

"I think the English Cadbury's chocolate bar I had in my purse might have played a bigger role than my Dorothy impersonation" Mac says with a grin. "What's Alfredo set his sights on? Is he headed for the food industry- I remember he wanted to be a chef when he was 11."

Oliver looked embarrassed. "That was until the day he met you Mackenzie." He paused. "Now his heart is set on journalism and has been since you explained how it was so important to let people know the truth"

Mac looks pleasurably surprised. "How wonderful Olly, he can come and see round the FOX newsroom if he wants during Spring break."

"Oh! that is too kind Mackenzie" he gushes "Alfredo will be thrilled, thank you, thank you. But first you eat? Yes?" and he motions to a waiter to attend them with the menus.

Will watches their exchange with a soppy smile.

This visit is so different to that of a few weeks ago. He can't help making the comparison. Nina's formality and condescension versus Mac's interest in the people she comes into contact with. Alfredo had been remembered as though he was one of her own cousins. (_Indeed, the fact that Mac had been in the kitchen to help locate a missing child says it all)._

He glows with pride in Mac in a manner he never experienced when dining with any of his string of arm candy. Not that he'd ever taken any of them to Valentino's of course- that belonged to him and Mac. Only Nina had persisted in her wish to accompany him there and now he thinks she may have had knowledge of Mac's preference….Nina had spoken with Brenner after all and Mac might have told him.

"Will" Mac says firmly once their order has been placed with Dominic following a repeat of the greeting exchange that they had with Oliver. "Will, why are we here?"

"I need to talk to you Mac and I know you love this place" Will's giving nothing away yet

He feels the sharp edge of the Tiffany Box pressing into his thigh. He has no doubt at all now that he needs to get the contents of the box onto Mac's hand.

"This was…is… a special place for us…well for me anyway" Mac begins " …and if you want to eat here that's fine but I don't want us to argue here please Will" she says quietly her eyes caste down. "I'd forgotten just how much history I have at Valentino's, the special birthday meals and …just please we can talk later,"

Will's brow furrows. "What makes you think I'm going to row with you? I thought I was supposed to be explaining Neal's hacking story and Sloan's part in it."

"Are you Will? Really? And there was me thinking you might be set on talking me out of my move to FOX" she said giving him one of her piercing glares "I can't think of any other reason you'd want to ask me to an expensive and very memory packed dining experience"

"Wait" Will snapped back "you think I'm just wanting to bring you back into ACN? That's not the case"

Mac does not reply immediately but looks at him intently.

"Okay then, you don't want me back?" she checks

It's Will's turn to remain momentarily silent, selecting his words with care

"I said 'just' Mac. I don't just want you back with OUR show, that's not all that I'm hoping for." Will says exasperatedly. He is starting to get wound up, as Mac had anticipated

"Will, please. I'm asking you not to talk about this now, here….please" Mac begs him in a loud whisper. Her face begins to crumple as she turned away from him to hide the tears forming in her eyes.

"Right, no, Mac don't… I mean sure…. I'll tell you about the hacking story…..Sloan and I helped Neal with his first successful pitch."

Will gives an entertaining account of the process, including the part where Neal had constructed his graphic statistics by googling 'hacking' only to become excited when he unearthed lists of hackers that included most of the British royal family. Jim had put him right on the use of the term in horse riding and told him to stick with government websites- as he had been taught by Mackenzie.

Their meal is delicious as always.

Mac, as usual, declines dessert but Will's chocolate soufflé arrives as an extra-large portion, served with two spoons and cherry ice cream, exactly as it would have done six years ago.

Time has stood still in Valentino's.

He and Mac reminisce about the infamous, and remarkable, desserts they have shared there, which morphs into memories of the things that had warranted a celebratory Valentino meal when they were together: birthdays, anniversaries, great shows, terrible shows, first snowfalls, first Christmas card, first Christmas card from her parents to both of them…..the list seemed endless and got sillier and sillier. It seems so special that, by the end, Will can't think why allowed himself to be pestered into bring Nina under any circumstances.

He suddenly feels bereft for the many special meals they have missed out on, that they should have shared here if he had allowed them to. It's time to fix it. He's more than ready, he doesn't need a push. He draws a deep breath.

"Mac, I err.. you remember Nina and I have split up don't you?"

The genuine smile slides off her face to be replaced by a guarded expression, "Are we going to talk about Nina right now Will?" she asks

"Hell no, well yes, but no. I want,…. no I need you to know she and I are not together….at all…in any way…none whatsoever…never will be again." he struggles to make his point quickly to get past the Nina bit.

Mac picks up on his urgency thinking he's upset about the breakup and immediately feeing contrite at her lack of concern.

"I'm so sorry Will" Mac says sympathetically "If you need to talk it through please do. You must be so hurt and I was being selfish in wanting to keep Valentino's ….you know…" She trails off

"For us?" he says softly with a hopeful smile

"Well, yes. I suppose so… yes." She nods

"Surely she believed you when you explained?" Mac tries to continue the Nina thread.

Will shakes his head. Her belief in him as the impeccable boyfriend and therefore the injured party amazes Will….but then she always is amazing he thinks.

"Not the point I wanted to make Mac" Will shifts to watch her face more closely "I'm not sad at Nina's departure. I had mistaken how …no I think I need to show you something"

Will pulls the Tiffany box from his pocket and fumbles with the packaging, struggling to extract the jewel in the centre.

The sight of the small blue container brings back Mac's recent dinner with Max and the earing keeper he had presented her with. A smile accompanies the thought as her right hand touches her ear.

Suddenly, Will is talking again and holding up THE RING between his thumb and index finger as if he was going to use it to flip counters in tiddlywinks. Mac is momentarily puzzled. She tries to make sense of his words but she can't take her eyes off the ring. He'd told her he'd had it taken back.

"I didn't return it because I'm in love with you" she hears him say and continue on to stumble through a series of mis-starts and dear silliness's about Universal laws and her owning him and him doing this better if he could just have a cigarette, which apparently constitutes a marriage proposal.

Mac interjects with "Wait!" and "What's happening right now?" desperately trying to keep up. Doesn't he realise that they haven't even kissed in 6 years? That he's hated her for most of that time and that he has just been rejected by his beautiful and sexy girlfriend of 6 months?

_Jesus. I 'm the rebound from Nina, he's using me to hit back at her and comfort himself_.

But Mac can't reject him. She won't ever hurt him intentionally. He needs her support no matter how much it'll hurt her down the line when he pulls out.

She'll still love him forever whatever happens. Wait, he's just used that line on her….

"Yes, I'm saying yes" she hears herself say and is rewarded by the lips she's been craving since she told Will about Brian fastening blissfully onto hers.


End file.
